Northstar Vale Bring it around town.

It was rare for the Sandy man to venture from the Willows especially this far, because now he had to think of not only Lily but a baby or babies. It was a weight that fell upon his shoulders and no one else's, it wasn't hard to explain how he was feeling. It was like the best and worst thing he'd ever heard. The best because he creates life with someone he loved dearly but it was also the worst because he was all the time worried about her and the little ones wellbeing.

Maybe that's the exact reason he had ventured so far, to try and balance it out before someone noticed how mixed his emotions were. He wasn't exactly sure where he was but he was sure that it would Be quiet and serene just like everywhere else in the mountains although it wasn't as beautiful as the Willows. The man sniffed the ground seeing if there may be any others here that he could meet and conversation with. The grass tickled his nose and abruptly he sneezed, snot flying through the air to cover the ground in front of him. An annoyed grunt left his body as he turned away from the snot covered ground.

@Thorn ! Hope this is okay :)

thank you for starting!

while khali was mentally examining the prospect of new life and the horrors (or joys, i guess) it brought with it, thorn was roving the hillside -- looking for any sort of prey he could proudly offer aria. their most recent interaction left him hopeful, and while he was still a far way off from claiming a spot in aria's heart, thorn could not help but feel things might be headed in the right direction.

he was preoccupied enough that he didn't realize he had company until a sneeze shattered the wintry quiet. lifting his head from the ground, the black hound looked about him -- his gaze falling on a sandy-hued male not so far away. his first instinct was to holler and chase this male from his sights, for the wolf might be a potential competitor -- but the aggressor in his instincts was loathe to react so quickly. instead, he sniffed the air cautiously, making himself known with a gruff grunt in khali's direction.

Khali had stared into space and when the gruff was let out he swiveled his head to look back. It was a pitch black shadowed wolf, a male perhaps by the low grunt it had given out. He hoped that he wasn't intruding on this mans space but another part of him didn't even care. His body turned and he faced the blackened man. Hello. Am I intruding on something? he asked with his head lowering and coming right back up.

Khali would show the same amount of respect to him as he did Elysium, at least that's what the sanctuary had taught him. Maybe he could be a potential friend or an enemy, he hoped it was the latter of the two. I come from Elysium, a pack or sanctuary rather that isn't not too far away. Khali is my name. he offered.

thorn was unused to such grace exhibited in a male. his features snagged with slight belief to be so cordially met, but he ruffled his upent feathers soon enough, his tail sweeping his hocks in low acceptance of the male's presence.

"no, not intruding." he replied, begrudgingly admitting he was perhaps receiving this man rather coldly. had khali been female, certainly thorn's reception would be warmer. "i'm thorn, from diaspora." elysium was not a familiar name to the brute, but khali had offered his pack's name first, and thorn thought it befitting to do the same. "why are you out here?"

The male didn't seem hostile but also not overly friendly like himself. Khali kept up his friendliness though, going back to his old bitter self was not an option.. not until something was threatening his life or his packs life then that would be a cause for change in his behavior.

Thorn from Diaspora, interesting the man thought, he hadn't heard of this Diaspora or anyone from it at least he hadn't up until this point. Thorn then asked him why he was out here. There wasn't a pinpointed answer for this, there were man you reasons he wasn't out and about. 

I heard some news that was the best but also worst thing I could hear. he was sure that the man wouldn't care to hear the whole story. To ponder this news I decided to go for a walk. he finished after a moment of being paused.

the man's response was cryptic at best -- perhaps tit for tat. thorn had not exactly been most forthcoming himself.

he let a silence pool about them for a minute as his gaze raked the man before him. lean, buttercream of fur -- a pale wash of his species' typical agouti. his mein was most foreign to thorn, for the wolf carried himself like some subservient ambassador. it was a far cry from the roughshod forebearance stigmata and mahler commanded.

"what was the news?" he queried aloud, wondering just what could make a man so wordless that he looked like the pale apparition of a ghost.

Khali ran his eyes over the other man, he seemed serious like that was his all the time personality. Thorn was built like a brick house, tall and sturdy. The muscles surely out did most men but unless they were fighting, he didn't feel too inferior. It was all put together by his soul touching yellow eyes, which Khali thought were intriguing.

Maybe Khali was too quick to judge the way the man would react to his telling of why he was out there because he asked just what could make him need to come for a thought clearing walk. I got my mate pregnant... he said with little feeling. Of course he was excited but at the same time scared? Anyway it's a blessing because she's amazing and will be the greatest mom but also I'm burdened with more to protect. that was certainly a mouth full for him.

khali's news was not what thorn expected. ever so somberly, the eyjolfur examined the wolf's words, deciphering from his expressive features all that he could.

had it been thorn, he would have been elated -- his one, singular purpose in life was driven by the overwhelming instinct to procreate. to him, there was no higher station than securing a mate and siring a litter.

his tail waved slightly, a gesture he was finally less defensive towards the man -- likely because it had been confirmed khali was a man with a mate his own, and was certainly not the competition he had first suspected.

"that is good news," he answered, feeling a slight verge to his voice that was not usually there. "is there no better deportment than being a father?"

He put his head down for a moment feeling a bit like a jerk that he even thought of his kids as a burden, but only a small piece of him did maybe that counts for something? Khali wasn't sure it did and frankly he wouldn't blame the man for thinking he was being paranoid or stupid about it. 

It was possibly the best news because I'll be a father. That's all I ever wanted in life, isn't it what everyone wants? it was an actual question but he slightly wanted to know if that's what Thorn ever wanted, maybe then he could relate to Khali if he hadn't in he felt first place.

it sounds stupid but I worry if something were to ever happen... that'll be unforgivable for myself if I can't protect them, then that would make me a failed father and mate. he looked at Thorn, his words were so serious it wasn't funny.

thorn apprised the man anew, for in their course of discussion a new fact had been revealed: khali's own destination was not so different from his own. there appeared a softer edge to his dark muzzle, and he canted his broad head in agreement.

"there is no higher honor." he grumbled, his voice sharing easily his determination to make that distant dream a reality. "but it is not any use, borrowing trouble." he paused, making sure the male met his gaze before continuing. "the wolf that hesitates and thinks of what will go wrong, will be eaten by his own self-doubts. there is no greater disappointment, than a wolf that can, but won't -- because he is too terrified of what will be actualized.

men see doubt as weakness, and are bred to exploit it. you start doubting yourself, and the rest of the world will, too."

Thorn seemed to lighten up now that they are talking about family, which is obviously a topic of conversation that brings the toughest of them all to the soft side. This made him relax more now, muscles were no longer tense and he made no plan to get away anytime soon. 

The words that had come out of the darkened shadows mouth had been more wise than he'd ever heard before. It made sense to him that if he was doubting himself others would soon do the same. He was lucky he hadn't yet showed it to Lily or any of the others. He swished his tail while soaking in his words and letting them settle. 

You're quite wise, where'd you learn that? he joked for a moment. I understand others would start to doubt me. Maybe this is something I should work on eh? he said not leaving the others poisonous yellow eyes.

thorn was surprised, himself, by the gusto of his words. he had never been a wise wolf -- but he was flanked by men that were hardened by the sharp cruelties of life, and he had been raised by a pragmatic (if slightly irascible) family. to him, the dissolution of one's confidence was akin to dishonor, and he often did not examine his own impulses before enacted upon them, for he found a man that sat and debated with his own internal thoughts was a man that rarely made a move.

and in this world, it was do or die.

he offered the barest of smiles at the joke, but the seriousness never left his somber face. "it's simply life." he replied, knowing if he went in depth, he would a. grow weary of talking -- and b. would likely bore khali to death.

he was not a man of loquacious speeches, and was spent by such dispensed advice. "it is easier if you just don't think." he followed, finding he himself had often eliminated careful thought from his actions, for it both impeded the ferocity of how he tackled new situations, and often made his reactions slow.

Khali had never thought of it that way, not thinking just doing. What kind of life would one live if they never thought about their choices and just went ahead with whatever they felt right? If it worked for Thorn then it could work for him... maybe.. it would take some getting use to if he didn't convert his thinking.

ill have to try that. It seems doable anyway. the words were genuine as he convinced himself inside his mind that he would try it. They had talked about himself and why he wondered out here's but now he was curious about why Thorn was here.

I guess we're no longer on this subject but, what brought you here? he moved his head to the side curiously. Maybe he could be of use to the male as he was to Khali.

wrapping up all of my toons threadlogs, thank you for the thread <3

khali's acceptance of thorn's rather bullheaded approach to life was met with a gruff dip of his head -- pleased to see the companion's willingness, thorn relaxed further.

his gaze flickered as the elysian inquired after his own business being here. thorn was not a male that liked to talk about himself at any length, but he obliged all the same.

"hunting." he answered, canting his muzzle to the tracks he had left behind him. "trying for some unusual game." he was going to leave it at that, but considering how forthright khali had been, begrudging added: "for a girl."

he would share whatever it was khali asked of him, but before long would turn back to the creek - he had many things to do before dark, and many promises to keep.